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Tag: Members Only News

  • Leading Primary Care through the Next Stage: Leadership Session summary of proceedings (Oct. 28)

    The results of the AFHTO Leadership Session held on October 28, 2015, immediately before the AFHTO conference, are presented for your review. This report summarizes what we heard from these members – approximately 200 Executive Directors, Lead MDs/NPs, and Board chairs/members – and ties in related comments and observations from members throughout the conference. The Leadership Session was designed to identify issues and shape the direction to be taken by this sector, supported by the advocacy, networking and knowledge-sharing made possible through AFHTO. This year, the session focused on the question of a “population based approach to primary care”.  What came out from our members is a clear readiness to tackle the challenges that await us and there is significant caution about how change is implemented.  Most importantly members want:

    • To be heard. Members are ‘skeptically optimistic’ regarding closer LHIN alignment; they want thoughtful consideration and adequate consultation with FHTs/NPLCs.
    • To be valued. Primary care is the foundation of a sustainable health system; policy, planning and resourcing need to strengthen this foundation.
    • To be supported to succeed. Above all else, sufficient funding is needed to stabilize the workforce and ensure sufficient capacity to deliver quality care. IT infrastructure and EMR connectivity are also in need of further development.

    This report will be used to guide AFHTO’s advocacy and member services – with increasing focus on advocacy with LHINs in addition to the Ministry – to ensure our members get the support and resources they need to navigate the changes ahead. AFHTO members are welcome to send further comments and ask questions at any time:

    • Regarding advocacy work, to CEO Angie Heydon.
    • Regarding the governance and leadership of FHTs/NPLCs, to the Provincial Lead for the Governance and Leadership Program, Bryn Hamilton.
    • Regarding AFHTO’s work to advance measurement capacity, to the Provincial Lead for the Quality Improvement Decision Support Program, Carol Mulder.

  • Data to Decisions eBulletin #22: D2D 3.0 is getting clinical!

    ACT NOW to be part of D2D – what Dr. Danielle Martin calls “the game changer” for primary care:

    Diabetes care – we may be leading the pack, but we’re not there yet! Join your peers in finding the best ways to improve diabetes care together. D2D timeline for participation – see below or the D2D 3.0 planning and preparation page on AFHTO’s website for more information.

    Help spread the word about D2D – invite others to sign up for the e-Bulletin online.  Getting too many emails? Scroll to the bottom of the original email for the unsubscribe link. D2D 3_0 timeline 20151105

  • Data to Decisions eBulletin #21

    Please vote here to refine indicators for next iterations of D2D. If you’ve had any concerns or questions about these indicators, please voice them! Click here to learn more about emerging evidence that high quality comprehensive, patient-centered care costs less. Like a good argument? Come to the Family Feud between Emerg and family doctorss about who could or should be doing what to help keep patients out of the Emerg department. Want ICES data for your team and for D2D 3.0? Join the 70 teams who have already signed up on the HQO portal to get team-level administrative (i.e. ICES) data, including data for D2D indicators NOT available in the physician-level reports. Deadline is Oct 30 – physician agreement is needed in order to sign up. Help spread the word about D2D. Invite others to sign up for the eBulletin online.  What is D2D? Data to Decisions (D2D) is a member-wide summary of performance on indicators that are both possible for members to measure and that are meaningful to members. See the D2D page for more information.

  • Report on behalf of the Primary Health Care Expert Advisory Committee

    Dear AFHTO members: As you see below, Minister Hoskins has released the Report on behalf of the Primary Health Care Expert Advisory Committee and invited feedback. With the AFHTO Conference less than two weeks away, we have a ripe opportunity to engage members in developing AFHTO’s response.  AFHTO staff and the AFHTO board executive are working through the opportunities in the conference program, and will be back to you with updates early next week. As it says in the title of AFHTO’s 2015 Annual Report, released yesterday in the Annual General Meeting notice – we have Collective Impact: The Power to Shape Our Future. We look forward to the discussions at the AGM and conference. Angie Angie Heydon, Chief Executive Officer Direct phone: (647) 234-8503 | Email: angie.heydon@afhto.ca

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    On behalf of the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care, I’m pleased to provide you with a copy of the Baker-Price Report on Primary Care. Our government is committed to improving performance, accountability, and access in Ontario’s primary-care sector. Our priority is to put patients first by ensuring that primary-care providers and services are organized around the needs of the population. This includes ensuring access to a primary-care provider for every Ontarian that wants one. That is why we engaged a panel of experts to provide advice on how to improve the delivery of primary care for Ontarians. The panel, led by Elizabeth Baker and Dr. David Price, was asked to provide advice on ways to better integrate primary-care providers with each other and within the health-care system. They also looked at how we can continue improving access to primary care and to interdisciplinary care teams. We thank the panel for their work and their report. The report is one of many pieces of advice the government is considering when discussing how to strengthen primary care in Ontario. This report, along with the recommendations of other reports submitted to the government over the past few years, will help inform our work as we go forward. It’s important to know that as we go forward we do not intend to create additional layers of administration. We are focussed on ensuring Ontarians are connected to a primary care provider and can see them in a timely way when they are sick. We are also committed to letting patients choose their own provider. I look forward to discussing the future of primary care with you as soon as you’ve had an opportunity to develop your thoughts – and am happy to answer any questions you may have now. Jesse Rosenberg Director of Policy Ontario’s Minister of Health and Long Term Care  

  • Data to Decisions eBulletin #20

    Stay tuned for help in developing a CHF registry: Hot on the heels of producing standardized EMR queries for COPD and Diabetes, QIDSS are now working on a Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) query, ETA Jan 2016. Watch for updates here. D2D, one bite at a time. Check out the new bite-size bits of information to help you sign up and use D2D in your team:

    Click here to get team-level administrative (ICES) data from HQO. Nearly 60 teams already signed up. Deadline is Oct 30 — ensure you have received physician agreement first before requesting the report. What’s next with D2D? See the D2D page on AFHTO’s website for more information. Help spread the word about D2D. Invite others to sign up for the eBulletin online. 

  • Health Link Leaders: Forming a Link (Sept 27)

    AFHTO’s Health Link Community of Practice met on September 21st. This communique provides an overview and highlights key items discussed:

    • Shaping the Future: Advanced Health Links Mode
    • Health Link CoP: Building a Partnership with the Ministry
    • NSM Integrate Project
    • Care Coordination Tool
    • Primary Care Update: what we know & what we’re doing about it

    Shaping the Future: Advanced Health Links Model

    In June 2015, the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care announced the introduction of the Advanced Health Link Model , to be introduced over the course of the 2015-16 fiscal year. Based on the learnings from 69 established Health Links, the Advanced Health Link model identifies four areas of focus that include enhanced performance management and oversight, elements of standardization, funding model redesign (including sustainability planning)  and wider system integration. The Advanced Health Link model also illustrates the accountability of LHINs for their respective local Health Links. Through this renewed commitment to advance Health Links, the Ministry has acknowledged the need for stable, operational base funding and for better alignment between primary care and strengthened integration/collaboration, specifically with primary care teams. The evolution from the ‘pilot phase’ to a more mature state will also put in place formal processes to identify and disseminate emerging/best practices as a way to build on the successes achieved  to date. A health links guide will be released end of September or early October that will set out the new expectations of the model, including key functions of lead organizations.

    Health Link CoP: Building a Partnership with the Ministry

    The Health Link CoP was pleased to have Ministry representation at the September 21st meeting, including the acting Director (Michael Robertson) and his colleagues from the Capacity Planning and Priorities Branch as well as representation from the Primary Care Branch. Through open and transparent discussions, members highlighted a number of ongoing challenges for FHT led Health Links, including:

    • Timing of funding: it is widely recognized that the absence of stable base funding creates significant challenges in terms of sustainability, planning, HR retention, and maintaining the ongoing momentum of health links. Many FHTs are faced with the risk of using reserves to bridge the funding gap or obtaining loans from health service partners, such as hospitals or CCACs.
    • Reporting burdens: Streamlining and/or minimizing the numerous reporting obligations (for some FHTs this includes reports to: HQO, LHIN, Ministry, CCAC and/or hospital) could minimize the associated work load and promote more consistent, standardized reporting. The movement to reporting through the Self Reporting Initiative (SRI) could also help to enhance consistency.
    • Inconsistent direction: there has been some concern with inconsistent direction being received across the FHT led health links between the Ministry and the LHIN. For example, the Ministry contract identifies physician engagement as an eligible expense, however many LHINs have been providing conflicting advice. There is a desire to improve standardized messaging, materials and expectations, and develop a more common approach across the LHINs.

    Member leadership from the CoP, with the support of AFHTO, will continue to work closely with the Ministry in finding possible solutions to the challenges identified. There is a strong commitment from the Ministry to maintain ongoing communication and participation with the Health Link CoP!

    NSM Integrate Project

    The Health Link CoP continues to be a platform to share achievements and spread success stories! The Integrate Project was launched by Cancer Care Ontario and the approach is being piloted in select regions of Ontario (from 2014-2017). Members received an overview of INTEGRATE project piloted in the North Simcoe Muskoka LHIN. This project is enabling early identification and management of patients who could benefit from a palliative care approach across settings.  The collaborative method is transforming the palliative care system from one with a lack of service integration and fragmentation to a system with integrated care across care sites and improved patient related outcomes.

    Care Coordination Tool (CCT)

    East Toronto Health Link (ETHeL) is going live with its first published CCT on Wednesday, September 23rd – despite the very tight timelines and delay in funds, they are on track to meet this deliverable for the Ministry and Orion! The administrative burden/challenges that arose from the management of this initiative have been highlighted to the Ministry with the intent to inform subsequent roll-outs of the Care Coordination Tool, including the need to provide input to the Ministry on non-clinician feedback as it pertains to implementation. Further conversations with the Ministry are planned to occur before the end of the CCT proof of concept in March. Just a reminder that ETHeL has already done a legal review on all three agreements (DSA, ESPA and EULA) and comments from the lawyers are available for use by any Health Link that will be participating in the CCT proof of concept.  In addition, ETHeL has its agent agreement (for authoring model #3) that they are happy to share for any Health Links using that model. If you would like any of this information please contact Kavita at kavita.mehta@setfht.on.ca.

    Primary Care Update: what we know & what we’re doing about it

    Over forty AFHTO members from around the province – the combination of AFHTO’s Physician Leadership Council (PLC) and ED Advisory Council (EDAC) – came together on September 17th  to dialogue with the Ministry to gain further clarity on what is known (and not known) as it plans for primary care.  One of the key messages is that work to develop policy and strategy is underway and that there will be further discussion and consultation as this progresses. For further details from this meeting please see the meeting summary  and/or full report [PDF].

    Members expressed interest in conducting a face to face meeting in early 2016. Further details will be provided over the coming months. For any further questions, or if you are interested in participating on the Health Link CoP, please contact:
    Marg Alfieri (Chair, Health Link CoP) Health Link Manager, KW4 Health Link Centre for Family Medicine FHT margalfieri@icloud.com Bryn Hamilton Provincial Lead, Governance & Leadership Program 647-234-8601 Bryn.Hamilton@afhto.ca

     

  • Data to Decisions eBulletin #19: It’s time to play… Physician Family Feud!

    Physician networking session: What’s an avoidable Emergency Department visit? And who can do what to avoid it? Join your fellow physicians and QIDSS for a networking debate at the AFHTO 2015 Conference that will pit attendees against two feuding teams made up of family and ED physicians. It will consider real-life ED visits that may or may not be avoidable, depending on how the feud plays out. Winners will come away with a sense of satisfaction from helping teams help their patients stay out of ED (note: everyone is a winner!). You won’t want to miss the action! All your colleagues will find sessions of interest during the IHP Networking or Leadership Sessions. The early bird takes flight Monday (Sept. 28th). Register for the AFHTO 2015 conference before prices go up! Other upcoming Events: AFHTO staff, your fellow teams and QIDSS are going to these free conferences OntarioMD Every Step Conference (Oct. 1) and HQO’s Health Quality Transformation (Oct. 14). Sign up for team-level administrative (ICES) data from HQO by Oct. 30, 2015. Ensure you have physician agreement first! Helping patients gain access to their own health information – check out the “hot-off-the-press” summary of the Ontario policy dialogue about implementing electronic personal health records in Canada. Watch for stories from AFHTO members about what works to achieve great performance! Help spread the word about D2D. Invite others to sign up for the eBulletin online.  What is D2D? Data to Decisions (D2D) is a member-wide summary of performance on indicators that are both possible for members to measure and that are meaningful to members. See the D2D page on AFHTO’s website for more information.

  • AFHTO members meet with Ministry: what we know and what we’re doing about it

    Over forty AFHTO members from around the province – the combination of AFHTO’s Physician Leadership Council (PLC) and ED Advisory Council (EDAC) – came together last Thursday to dialogue with the Ministry to gain further clarity on what is known (and not known) as it plans for primary care.  One of the messages is that work to develop policy and strategy is underway and that there will be further discussion and consultation as this progresses. Following this dialogue, members concluded the priorities for action they identified over July/August are on the right track, and then developed further advice on each topic.

    Meeting summary

    For the full meeting report click here. So what do we know and where do we go from here?  EDAC and PLC members concluded that:

    • Members should expect a closer relationship between LHINs and primary care, but we don’t know yet what that will look like and whether or not this will include any form of funding and accountability. We need to further develop these relationships right away. AFHTO is facilitating meetings and preparing education materials to help members do this.
    • Government’s priority on access and equity signals that interprofessional teams must continue (or begin) to look more broadly at their communities to find ways to broaden access to team-based care to those who need it most.
      • More equitable funding is needed to attract and retain the staff needed to do all this work. We have no formal commitment from government as of yet; this remains the top priority for AFHTO’s advocacy.
      • As demand grows to broaden access to teams, AFHTO members’ collective work in defining how we measure and track health human resource capacity is critical to reduce the risk of compromising patient care and teamwork. The goal is to introduce an initial indicator of this capacity in the next cycle of Data to Decisions – D2D 3.0.
    • Government is considering a common set of publicly reported, primary care performance indicators. The collective work of AFHTO members to advance measurement is absolutely critical to lead the way to ensure these measures are meaningful to clinicians and manageable for reporting.
    • At the strategy and planning level, we remind the Ministry and LHINs of the need for thoughtful ways to include primary care leaders in its development.
    • As teams, we also need to look internally at how we can improve the value we deliver to our patients and communities.
    • Transparency is critical – at all levels, from the Ministry, from LHINs, from AFHTO, from all of the stakeholders. Information is needed from the Ministry since the voids are being filled by misinformation.

    In light of AFHTO’s growing impact on the provincial stage, EDAC and PLC members applauded as the AFHTO President announced the board’s decision to confer the title of Chief Executive Officer to Angie Heydon, following their recent leadership review. For further details from this meeting please see the full report [PDF].

  • Primary Care Practice Reports available for FHT Executive Directors

    Health Quality Ontario has informed us they are launching team-level access to ICES data for Executive Directors. There is also the possibility of using them to access data for D2D. Discussions are underway to confirm this possibility which will make it that much easier for your team to contribute data to D2D 3.0. The consent page is now live with a deadline of October 30th, 2015 for delivery to teams by mid-December. Please sign up using your official email address to make registration easier (as this should match Ministry records). For further information please see below. …………………………………………………………….. Everyone providing primary care to Ontarians is dedicated to quality improvement. Now, Executive Directors working in Family Health Teams have access to team-level data as well as trends and change ideas through Health Quality Ontario’s group-level Primary Care Practice Report. These team-level  reports will provide you with information on your team’s demographics, case mix, patterns of patient use of service, the health status of your practice population, and information on specific chronic disease management indicators, as well as related quality improvement change ideas. They share how your Family Health Team is performing compared to other teams in your Local Health Integration Network and across the province. They do not have physician-level data but they do have data at the level of the physician group (e.g. FHN, FHO). Physicians can get their own data through a similar process (see below). Primary Care Practice Reports are confidential. Your team’s reports will not be shared with others. It can be used to inform quality improvement work and your Quality Improvement Plans. Before you sign up, inform the physicians in your practice that you’ll be receiving a report with aggregate data for the team. Then sign up to receive your report by visiting HQO’s website. You will receive your first report in December. These Primary Care Practice Reports, which are now being introduced for Executive Directors, have been and still are available to individual physicians who work in primary care and long-term care settings. Encourage physicians working in your Family Health Team to sign up to receive their personalized Primary Care Practice Report. They can also watch this video to hear from family physicians already using this report to help drive change in their practice. The Primary Care Practice Report has been created by Health Quality Ontario and the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences, in partnership with the Association of Family Health Teams of Ontario.

  • Data to Decisions eBulletin #18: Accessing your team’s ICES data

    Start the sign-up process to get team-level access to your ICES data. Click here for instructions. Progress in measuring our capacity to serve all patients: Click here (scroll down to the “human resource capacity” section) for information about emerging considerations for this new indicator for D2D 3.0. Patient contact system: Learn how the patient contact system is helping 5 teams automatically do patients surveys directly from their EMRs. Nightingale EMR data extraction: Thanks to the efforts of their Community of Practice, all Nightingale EMR users now have access to Data Miner to extract data!  Contact Marg Leyland for information about training. AFHTO at Health Quality Transformation: Come see AFHTO’s posters about working with patients as partners and increasing access to EMR data at Health Quality Transformation 2015 – it’s free! New addition to AFHTO: Welcome to Catherine Macdonald as the new QIDS Program & Governance and Leadership Program Assistant, stepping in as we bid a fond farewell to Denise Pinto who supported our programs from the very beginning! Help spread the word about D2D. Invite others to sign up for the eBulletin online.  What is D2D? Data to Decisions (D2D) is a member-wide summary of performance on indicators that are both possible for members to measure and that are meaningful to members. See the D2D page on AFHTO’s website for more information.